look news india
MUMBAI: With thousands of tourists thronging Maharashtra's Bhandaradhara area in the first week of June causing fireflies due to bright lights from their vehicles, environmentalists have demanded the cancellation of Kajwa Mohotsav, the hugely popular firefly festival in Bhandaradhara, Akola, Ahmednagar, Nashik and Kolhapur. This year, around 35,000 tourists visited the Harishchandragad, Bhandaradhara, Kalsubai and Ghatghar sanctuaries between May 25 and June 15, which are very important for the survival of the Agia.
Mumbaikars visit nearby places to do such tourist activities on Chashwar. In 2012, an environmentalist named Ambrish More started Kajawa Mahotsav to make such urban people aware of natural wonders. But this year he has decided to stop organizing Kajawa festival from next year due to unruly behavior of tourists. More said that Agias and their habitats are being damaged due to unruly behavior of tourists.
Increasing human activities in the habitats of Agia have led to the loss of Arjun and Baheda trees, which are essential for the habitat of Agia. Another major problem is that tourists are now roaming unsupervised in the interiors of the forest, trampling the female Agias under their feet, More said. Since these female fireflies are wingless, they stay on the ground and cannot fly. These female fireflies lay eggs in the forest. But unsuspecting tourists are destroying the future generation of Agias by trampling these female Agias under their feet. Tourists catch Kajawa and DJs disturb the balance of the forest environment. Ambrish More, who has been organising Kajawa Mohotsav in these areas for a decade in agreement with the Maharashtra Tourism Development Department to provide employment to local tribals, has decided to stop organising Kajawa Mohotsav due to the negative impact of the careless behaviour of tourists on the environment. Bhandaradhara Sanctuary is home to more than 130 species of birds and more than 816 species of wild animals. These animals are in great danger due to the unrestricted movement of tourists and their uncontrolled behavior.
Bhandaradhara Assistant Forest Conservator Dattatreya Padwal admitted that the problem has become severe and said that from next year we have planned to limit the number of tourists by booking online to overcome this problem. Only electric vehicles are being considered to reduce noise and pollution. More, who started the Kajava festival, has decided not to hold the festival from next year, but as long as others continue to hold it for financial gain, the environment will remain under threat.
